1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the packaging of bulk light-sensitive strip material such as photographic paper and film, and more particularly to the packaging of rolls of such material for roomlight loading.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bulk rolls of light-sensitive strip material for professional use have generally been mounted on an inner core and individually packaged in light-opaque, moistureproof containers from which the rolls are removed for loading into exposure apparatus such as magazines, cassettes, camera supply chambers, etc. Such containers have customarily been formed of plastic or metal foil, and in some instances have been metal cans.
While such packaging is inexpensive and serves its intended purpose of keeping light and moisture from the contents during shipping and handling, it presents a problem when the strip material is to be loaded into the exposure apparatus (such as for example the cassette disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,929 issued July 12, 1977). Once opened, the package is of course no longer light-tight, and since the contents must be removed from the package to be loaded into the apparatus, such loading must be done in dark conditions to prevent fogging the light-sensitive material.
Coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,804, which issued on July 2, 1957 to F. A. Pomeroy et al, discloses light and moisture protection for rolls of film which does permit roomlight loading. An opaque, moistureproof leader strip is attached to the leading end of the film in the roll, and the ends of the roll are convered by opaque, moistureproof material which is temporarily adhered to the roll ends by a pressure sensitive adhesive.
Such a package solves the problem associated with roomlight loading in that the roll may be inserted into the apparatus and a portion of the leader fed through the film path while sufficient leader remains convoluted around the film to provide a light barrier. However, as film is advanced from the roll, adhesive may peel away from the end covers and stick to the edges of the film. Should this occur, it is possible that the adhesive carried by the film could build up in the camera and cause contamination problems, or that the adhesive could be transmitted to the processing apparatus with similar adverse effects.